Why Hebron

Hebron is a vitally important historical city with deep meaning to many people. Presently, Heron is a microcosm of Israel’s military occupation and settlement enterprise. Everything that happens under occupation - checkpoints, settlements, raids, segregation, closures - happens in Hebron, often with greater frequency and intensity. Although Hebron has a rich tradition of nonviolent resistance, Hebron families need support and assistance if they are to persist. For people outside Palestine, learning about and visiting Hebron provides an excellent way to become knowledgeable about occupation and support the work work of nonviolent resistance.

Hebron is the only city in the West Bank were settlers live within the Palestinian city. The settlers in Hebron are among the most violent and ideologically extreme of the settler movement. With the full cooperation of the Israeli government, and under the protection of the Israeli army, they try to forcibly remove the Palestinian population from the city. There are 23 checkpoints within a two kilometer square of the city, over 100 movement barriers, and streets that are designated as sterile (Jewish-only).

All of the factors are present in Hebron to enable a successful nonviolent campaign. The starkness of the injustice invites empathy and can be clearly understood by those outside Palestine. Take, for example, the case of Zleikha, 50, a teacher who lives on Shuhada Street in the Old City inside the H2 area of Hebron. She moved into her house 8 years ago. Her front door, which leads out onto Shuhada Street, is welded shut. Like all Palestinians in the city she is not allowed to walk up or down her own street! This is unambiguously unjust and illegal under international law. By focusing on this city, with a long and deep history of nonviolent struggle, we can hope to create meaningful change that will ripple outward to the rest of Palestine.